A Price Paid
by Theheckisthistomfuckery
Summary: Papyrus x Female OC. After falling to the mystical world of the underground, you feel as though you may have finally found your saving grace. A tall, charming skeleton and his brother help you feel welcome in their world, but strange things begin to happen to you the longer you stay. Rated M for future NSFW entries. Cover artwork belongs to myself, as well as the OC on the left.
1. Chapter 1: A Surprise?

You were laying in bed in your new home in Snowdin. Chilly winter air blew through your bedroom window; you shivered and sat up to close it. Huffing to yourself, you glanced out the window. The pillowy snow that blanketed the ground sparkled in a way that only snow in the underground could. The clock next to your bed read 12:00PM, Midnight. It was your only real indicator at what time it was down there. Afterall, sunlight was rare there, and only managed to seep through the cracks in the earth for brief amounts of time.

You made no true attempts to go back to the surface,and enjoyed the unique beauty the underground had to offer. You felt this would be your saving grace, a new start. You never felt that you belonged in the surface world, but maybe here, you could.  
During your travels, you met many new friends. Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton, all of them meant the world to you, but your main reason for staying were the silly skeleton brothers you had met a few months ago. Out of all of your friends, they made you feel the most welcome. When you had no place to stay; Papyrus, the youngest of the two, offered to let you stay with him and his brother; Sans.

The two made wonderful roommates, never letting you feel alone. They always entertained you with their silly antics. One day, it was building a pizza fort out of empty (and sometimes not) pizza boxes. The other it was establishing "Papyrusland" and it's king, the "Very Great and Totally Good at Cooking Papyrus".  
It wasn't all chaos though, and there were many evenings of quietly enjoying one another's company, or telling stories huddled around one another under blankets. You felt like a family.

You smiled to yourself, recalling more fond memories of Papyrus nearly burning the house down trying to make his infamous spaghetti, ans Sans instigating his brother with bone related puns.

Your brows furrowed however, at a memory that filled your cheeks with blush.

* * *

"Papyrus! Sans! I'm home!" You called out. You could hear thudding footsteps and the tripping over of objects. Sans and Papyrus both burst from their bedrooms and rushed down the stairs. Papyrus slid down the railing instead, so that he could greet you first.

"Nicole!" His face was beaming and he proceeded to bow in a gentlemanly manner. "The Great Papyrus welcomes you back to his extravagant home!"  
You plopped your satchel onto the ground next to the shoes that were strewn about messily next to the door. You smiled back warmly, your eyes lighting up and blush tinging your cheeks. Papyrus did that to you. He always managed to make everything better, even on your most taxing days.

"Hi Pap. How was your day?" You cooed sweetly, reciprocating his friendliness. Papyrus was practically wiggling with excitement,

"Absolutely fantastic! Sans and I invented a new way of feeding his pet rock!" he motioned to the rock on the table in the hallway. Instead of being covered in sprinkles, like it normally was, it was instead covered in spaghetti noodles and sauce. Scoffing and stifling a giggle, You placed a hand on your hip.

"I can see that!"

Papyrus smiled proudly, "I did most of the work, but Sans played his part."

Sans shuffled up quickly to the two of you, chuckling under his breath. "Yeah, uh, it sure is a work of art, bro." He then turned to you, his eyes contentedly lazy and his grin wide. "Heya, kid. Good day at Grillby's?"

You rolled your eyes and leaned against the wall. You shoved your hands into the grey hoodie you were wearing. "Pfft, Had a stressful day. Not Grillbz' fault, just a lot of monsters came in today. We were really short - handed."

Sans began nodding, and was about to speak when Papyrus piped up.

"Oh! That sounds dreadful! Are you very tired?" You opened your mouth to speak, but Papyrus was already ahead of you.

"No matter!" He cheerfully interjected, "I shall prepare the most exquisite cuisine to help you relax!" With that, he bounded off to the kitchen, his red scarf trailing behind him in a blur.

Sans stretched his arms above his head with a tired groan and meandered his way to the door, grabbing his favorite blue coat.

You quizzically raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, where are you off to?"

Sans' boney fingers rested on the door knob.

"Work, remember? Someone's gotta sell those 'dogs, heh! Where's your brain today, kiddo?"

Feeling a bit silly, you nervously pushed air out of your lungs in a sort of forced laugh, to relieve your anxiety. "Oh, uh, yeah! I remember! Nah, where IS my brain, right?"

Sans must have told you he was working night shift tonight at some point in the past week, but to avoid feeling like a total imbecile, you decided to just smile and feign ignorance.

Sans playfully rolled his eyes and opened the door. The winter air nipped at your exposed skin. Sans lazily called out to his brother in the kitchen,

"Papyrus, I'm headin' out now!"

"Goodbye, brother!" He happily responded, enveloped in what he was doing.

"See ya kid." Sans waved. Thoughtfully and a bit sinisterly, he turned turned his head to you,

"Oh and uh, go find your brain. I know you tend to lose it around Pap."

Before you could retaliate, the sneaky bag of bones had already slid out the door. Your cheeks were dusted pink, and you grumbled to yourself. Sans liked to tease you about everything. Sometimes it really got to you. You shook your head and strolled into the kitchen to check out what Papyrus was making.

The scene you stumbled upon was a messy one, though oddly enough, not one of pasta origin. There appeared to be...flour everywhere? Papyrus noticed your entrance and whipped his head toward you, setting a mixing bowl down with a startled gasp. "H-human! You can't be in here!" You slightly frowned as he scuttled forward and pushed you towards the doorway,

"Awww, come on Pap, why can't I-"

"It's a surprise!" He blurted, fiddling with the edge of a white apron he had tied to his slender boney figure. "It's not ready yet, but it will be soon!"

You chuckled and cooperated with the now flustered skeleton.  
"Heh, alright! I'll be gathering some clothes for the waterfall. I'll be home a little later. I bet it's going to be an awesome surprise!"

Papyrus flashed you one of his classic, wide, thrilled grins and placed his hands on his hips triumphantly. "Of course it shall be! I, the Great Papyrus, am creating it! It shall be full of splendor! Mystery! Awe!" Your own grin widened as you listened to him, grabbing your satchel and filling it with clothes and some shampoo and soap.

"I can't wait!" You announced as you threw your bag over your shoulder. You opened the front door and it squeaked slightly.

Papyrus seemed thrilled that you approved, and you could have sworn you saw bright orange blush form across his cheekbones as you closed the door behind you.


	2. Chapter 2: A Later Point in Time

The cold winter air of the town of Snowdin was something you were rather used to by now. Normally, you disliked the cold, but the friendly monsters that lived there and the cheery atmosphere made up for the runny noses and numb toes. The waterfall was much warmer, and there was a section of it that made way for a sort of "hot springs".

Papyrus and Sans' home didn't have a bathroom, as they didn't really have the need for one. So, you went there to bathe everytime you needed to get clean or just relax. Monsters completed nearly every task with magic, and hygiene fell under this category. But you were human, and sadly, didn't have this luxury. The hot spring was in a secluded part of the waterfall area. No one would see you, so you had almost no discomfort when undressing.

Echo flowers lined the spring beautifully, and their blue glow reflected on the water's surface; giving the place an almost ethereal glow. The flowers never said a thing, as you were completely silent there, enjoying the quiet. It was a place where your soul felt wrapped in a quilt of peace. Nowhere else could match it's gravitational effect it had on you.

You sighed, taking your clothes off and placing them on a nearby rock. For good measure, you folded them loosely. You dipped a toe into the spring. The warmth was tantalizing, and before you could stop yourself you were already gliding into the water. Steam curled around you, dancing on your skin.

You had almost fallen asleep, but the realization you hadn't even washed your body yet jolted your head upright. A little shaken by the sudden energy and movement, you waded over to your bag, which was located on the edge of the pool. Plucking the shampoo and conditioner, you went about your business and scrubbed your body until you felt every particle of the day's work had been washed away.  
Taking baths was never this relaxing on the surface. You grimaced at what seemed like a now distant memory of a telephone ringing off of it's hook while you were laying in a small, cramped, almost surgical in nature bathtub. It all seemed so foreign in perspective. Holding your breath and shutting your eyes,you dove beaneath the surface of the crystal blue water. The soap rinsed off of you as you swam, leaving little clouds of white that dissapated into nothingness.

You wanted to stay here forever, but your curiosity was beginning to get the best of you. What was Papyrus doing? He had been acting so strangely. What was he preparing? You smirked at the possibilities and pulled yourself out of the water. The steam was evaporating off of your skin as it hit the cooler air. Clumsily snatching at your bag rewarded you with a black towel, and you dried yourself and your hair. Clean and feeling refreshed, it was time to repack your bag and head home. What awaited you, you were eager to find out. Papyrus was always so creative with presents and surprises. His attention to detail really impressed you. There was a bit of a spring in your step as you followed the path back to the Waterfall's entrance.

The Skeleton brothers' home bobbed into view as you trekked up a small hill. The door was never locked, so you skipped to the door and placed a foot inside. Carefully, you paused for a moment. The house was absolutely silent. How strange. The lights were even out. Sans normally left them on for Papyrus in the evening so that he could work on his various projects.

"Papyrus? You home?" You timidly called out, fumbling for the light switch. Where was that damn thing? You could have sworn it wa-

"SURPRISE!"

A chorus of voices startled you and made you jump. Hands reaching up to punch someone, you recognized the assailants.

Sans, Toriel, Alphys, Undyne, Mettaton...wait! These were your friends! But why-

A huge banner caught your attention as your eyes flicked upwards, drinking in the words:

'Happy 21st Birthday Nicole.'

Your Birthday! Holy shit, that was right. Today was your birthday, wasn't it? You had completely forgotten. You felt your face beaming, all of your friends hooting in approval.

"You guys!" You laughed, setting down your bag. "Haha! I totally forgot!"

Your friends swarmed around you, joy practically oozing from them.

"We knew ya would!" A gruff female voice answered. Typical of Undyne. "So we asked everyone to help prep a party for ya!"

You looked around the living room to see snacks, wine glasses, and various other party supplies set up on a table dressed with a simple, white table cloth. Smile still stretched to your ears, you happily tugged her in for a hug.

"You're the best!"

Looking around and releasing Undyne from your vice grip,you attempted to hug everyone. Alphys blushed and hid her face "G-glad you like it! H-Happy Birthday!" Toriel engulfed you in a hug in which you were hidden in her robe. "Happy Birthday, young one! You are SO wonderful! Would you like to open your gifts now? " Wheezing from the slight suffocation, you began to explain to Toriel she didn't have to give you a gift. Halfway through your first sentence, a very pleased Mettaton had strutted his way over to you. "Darling! You are now of the most FABULOUS age. 21 is the age of absolute fun!" He winked your way, making you giggle. Having the attention span of a toddler, he turned to alphys and undyne and started prattling away about something. He was speaking so fast you weren't sure what he was saying.

Deciding to take advantage of this opportunity, you sidled over to Sans, playfully bopping him with your hip. "Work, eh?"

Sans laughed dryly, amused by his own ruse. "Hey, what can I say? I'm a master of pary preperation. We can party like there's no toMARROW."

From somewhere in the kitchen, you heard a grumble.

Your ears perked and you started to walk towards the sound.

"Pap!" You called out cheerfully. But the sound of footsteps thudding to the kitchen entrance stopped you in your tracks. Papyrus stood before you, tall and broad shouldered. He was nervously sweating and fiddling with a wooden spoon.

"Greetings! Um..."

He turned around, grabbing something.

"Happy Birthday, Nicole!"

Outstretched in his arms was a large platter upon which a three layered cake stood. It was elegant and beautiful, wrapped in white icing. Dark violet, artificial silk orchids adorned the top, and the same color laced the sides of the cake. You felt your face burn red and your mouth practically hung open.

"Papyrus! Oh my god! Wow! You made this?!" You managed to pour out ecstatically. You leaned a little closer to it as Papyrus brought it out the the table. Fumbling for words, and doing your best not to touch the cake, you smiled up at him and gave him your most sincere of hugs around his waist, "It's beautiful!"

Papyrus was obviously not prepared for the hug, nor the slew of compliments that continued from you. By the time you were finished, his entire face was firey orange with blush. Toriel spoke up,

"It is indeed very beautiful Papyrus, you did a fantastic job. You can tell so much care went into making it."

If Papyrus' face blushed anymore, you feared he may have turned into an orange himself, or set himself ablaze.

"W-wowie, Thank you all! It is of course fantastic as I am t-the great Papyrus, but your appreciation is also fantastic!"

Obviously worked into a flurry, Papyrus proceeded to melt as your friends praised his work. His usual "proud" facade failed him eventually, as he was reduced to just "thank yous" and head nodding.

The cake tasted as great as it looked, but you felt a twinge of sadness as you cut into it. It was such a shame ruining such a lovely piece of art. Pouring wine into wine glasses and exchanging stories at the table continued until well into the evening. Papyrus had sat next to you, strangely quiet but joyful. You assumed he was still embarrased from the praise. Sans was just finishing up a story about how he and Grillby had to hide from Greater Dog once under the bar at the restaurant, when you gasped. Glancing at the clock, you realized it was already 10:00PM! You had work tomorrow, so you had to get ready for bed soon.

"I hate to cut this short guys, but it's getting pretty late, I've got work tomorrow."

Undyne threw herself onto the table towards you in protest, "Ay kid! We still haven't given you your presents yet!" Her crooked grin pouted a small bit in jest. Now it was your turn to blush. "Aw, you guys don't have to give me gifts! It was nice to just have you all here! Honest!"

"Too late" Sans drawled lazily. A gift poorly wrapped in newspaper floated in front of you, blue magic pushing it along. Soon after, all of your other monster friends were piling their gifts in front of you. Sinking a bit deeper into your hoodie, you murmured, "Heh, thanks guys. You're the best." Alphys waddled over to you, where Papyrus was still sitting. He looked extremely nervous for some reason. She placed a gentle hand on his leg. "Papyrus, I thought you had a g-gift for Nicole, too?"

Papyrus shifted in his chair, "Y-yes! Yes I do! But this gift would be optimal at a later point in time!" He instead gifted you a tiny smile, a reassurance that whatever he had for you, would be given after the guests had left.


End file.
